Chapter 26
Paradox' Secret
Jareth and Sarah had managed to teleport out of the Southern forest the exact same moment Keroon's spell went into effect. Instead of materializing inside the castle, they re-emerged close to the Northern forest. Sarah was panicking as Jareth looked around with bewilderment.
"Damn it", he hissed. "A blocking spell. Where the hell are we?"
It was nearly dark now and the light crystal didn't work, neither did any attempt of teleporting. Jareth was furious. He finally grabbed Sarah's hand and took her to a more secured location on top of a little bluff with some trees.
Sarah recognized the bluff.
"That's where I had to battle Ceres", she told Jareth, but he was rummaging through their bag for his fire starting kit and didn't seem to listen.
"Here put on some more clothes, babe. It could get a bit chilly up here during the night and I don't want you getting sick."
With everything that was going on he was concerned about her getting cold during the night. Sarah wanted to cry and kiss him, but held back and put on the extra shirt he had tossed her. He found himself a pair of long hunting pants and a shirt as well.
"I'm glad I did pack a few extra items. Always be prepared in the Underground", he mumbled to himself and began working on the fire.
Sarah collected some dry brush and wood while he tried to get a spark going. After a few minutes they sat by a small warm fire as the night chill started to creep up the hill. It was much colder here than in the near tropical lowland Southern forest. Sarah put her arms around her shoulders as she shivered slightly.
"Here, precious", Jareth said softly and put a stag hide around her shoulders.
"What about you?" she asked with thankful eyes and held on to his hand.
"I'll be fine, babe. And if I get cold we can share the hide and cuddle underneath for body warmth", he winked at her and smiled gently. Sarah couldn't help but to smile back. He had a gift for always making her feel better even in horrible situations like these.
Unlike her, he was cool headed, calculated, and thorough, like any high qualified military leader. Faron had trained him well to never let emotions rule his heart during battle, or when planning one. Sarah admired this about Jareth and was glad that he was by her side.
"We're going to stay here for the rest of the night", Jareth stated. "It would be reckless to try and make it back home in the dark without light. It's too far anyway. Tomorrow we'll get a plan together."
He laid down on a bed of grasses he had gathered together as a makeshift bed. Sarah sat by the fire and stared into the flames.
"Come here babe, we need to get some rest", Jareth patted the ground next to him and lifted up his stag hide. Sarah smiled faintly and joined him under the blanket and adding hers as well. He put his arm around her and held her tight.
"No matter what happens, we're together. And as long as we're together, it'll all work out, trust me."
He kissed her gently and gave her a soft smile before he laid back down again. She didn't make him promise, because she knew he couldn't. She sighed, held his hand close to her chest and closed her eyes.
They woke up rather early the next morning due to the damp coolness that had crept under their blankets. The sun was not quite above the horizon and dawn covered the land with a hue of red and yellow. Jareth got up and stoked the fire. He found some pork meat in his bag and heated it up for breakfast.
Sarah woke up to the smell of cooked pork chop, and Jareth handed her a nice warm piece which she graciously accepted. She hadn't realized how hungry she had been. Her stomach was doing all sorts of summersaults and noises.
"That's so good. Thank you honey", Sarah said quietly as she warmed herself up by the fire.
Her spirit was as damp as the cold wet ground and she felt miserable inside. She wanted to rush back and check on her babies, her boys, and everyone else she cared about. She didn't even want to think about Marjorie and Mark. It was because of her that they were in the Underground to begin with.
Jareth seemed to feel her thoughts as he came over and embraced her gently.
"I'm sure everyone is safe back at the castle and at Elvenwood and Goblin City. Our friends all know what to do and the boys are with the best babysitters in the entire kingdom. Aria has gone through a lot in her existence. She has been through two goblork wars. It is not her first rodeo. I bet she took everyone down to the bunker room."
He looked gently into her eyes and Sarah gave him a tender kiss.
"I love you Jareth, I love you so much. Whatever you say we'll do", she sniffed and wiped the tears out of her eyes.
He held her tight for quite some time before he let go of her, gave her one more kiss, and started to gather the camp together.
"Let's go, we have a long way ahead of us." He offered Sarah his hand and she accepted it as she got off the ground with a moan.
Luckily Jareth knew these parts of his kingdom as well as the southern parts, and he guided her down a south westerly path, back towards Goblin City. They had walked a good four hours before they spotted a familiar figure on the horizon. Sarah squinted into the bright sunlight and held her hand over her eyes.
"It's a horse", Jareth said trying to shield his eyes. "It's Paradox, I think", he added with excitement and started running towards the figure on the horizon with Sarah close behind.
When they got within one hundred yard they could tell it was definitely Paradox. She was grazing, and only noticed them now as she raised her head and snorted, shaking her mane.
"Paradox", Sarah yelled out, even though she was still capable of telepathy. It seemed more natural at the moment.
Paradox whinnied and started to canter over to them. She put her muzzle into Sarah's hand and rubbed her head against her shoulder.
"What are you doing here? " Paradox asked and took a quick look around. "Where are your faewolves? Something is wrong isn't it?" She was very perceptive.
"Goblorks have invaded the Underground. We had to send Ceres and Mara to warn the kingdom and a magic blocking spell has been cast. Nobody can perform any magic anywhere right now. We teleported here by accident and now we can't get home unless we walk."
Sarah was close to crying as she talked to Paradox using her voice rather than telepathy as she wanted Jareth to be included in the conversation. Paradox looked deep into her eyes.
"Get on my back, both of you, I need to show you something of utmost urgency. It will save the Underground and your kingdom."
Sarah and Jareth got on Paradox' back as she galloped like the wind towards the west. She was halfway down the hill when a herd of other Einhorns joined in the run and followed next to them. Before they knew they were surrounded by six Einhorns; the Einhorns from Outlook Bluff.
"I see your family found you", Sarah said in a happy tone and Paradox whinnied again.
"Yes, thanks to you, they found me", she did a happy jump and nearly tossed Jareth off her back.
"Tell him sorry about that", Paradox apologized and kept going. Jareth accepted the apology.
They finally arrived at a small dell with a gigantic oak in the middle. Paradox walked right beside it and Sarah and Jareth slid off her back. She walked around the oak and then like magic walked right into it and disappeared. Sarah and Jareth stood there stunned.
"What? Is the magic block broken?" Jareth wondered and tried to send a crystal ball but nothing happened.
Within seconds Paradox reappeared and held a scroll in her mouth.
"It's not magic", she replied as she gave the scroll to Jareth. "It's the entry for a pathway back to the castle. It is one of many secret pathways. We Einhorns are the keepers of them. This scroll is a map of every single pathway and where it leads and comes out. It's like a road system to different dimensions, including yours Sarah."
Jareth looked eagerly at the scrolls.
"We can't allow the goblorks to get their hands on this, or it would spell doom not only for the Underground but other dimensions. Your world too Sarah."
Jareth gave her a frightened look.
Paradox agreed, and all the other Einhorns nodded in unison as they had formed a circle around them.
"What do you want us to do?" Jareth asked anxiously.
"Make a mental note of the pathways, I will help you with that. You will lead your armies through them and drive out the goblorks. Once they are back in their dimension you can destroy the pathway leading only to their dimension and lock them in forever. Or kill every one of them out right. Whichever you prefer", she added dryly.
Sarah and Jareth liked the 'kill every one outright' option much better and the Einhorns all agreed with them.
Jareth sat down with the scrolls and Paradox. It was a complicated map with numerous pathways leading to many different dimensions and he was not quite sure how he would remember it all. He did not have an eidetic memory.
"I will teach you via mnemonics how to recall the map at any time. I have a gift that is not depended on magic to speed up this technique. It should take us only a couple of hours, but you will never forget the map afterwards", Paradox stated.
Paradox had Sarah explain the procedure to Jareth and then took him inside the large oak, while she had Sarah wait outside, much to her dismay.
Jareth nodded and agreed. If he would have this eidetic memory after two hours it would be well worth the time spend. While Sarah sat anxiously outside the oak tree, Paradox and Jareth were inside. Sarah wasn't sure how she would communicate with him since his telepathy depended on magic. But, this was the Underground and anything was possible.
Sarah paced around the oak tree anxiously and sighed. Time seemed to crawl and she was getting hungry again as well. Jareth was out of food in his bag and her stomach was making funny noises.
"There are some berries in that bush over there. You can eat those", one of the Einhorns took pity on her. Sarah smiled and stuffed herself with big blackberries and raspberries. She made sure to get a bunch for Jareth as well. He had to be hungry too.
Two hours ticked by before they re-emerged from the tree. Jareth looked tired and worn out, and was a tad unsteady on his feet.
"Are you ok, honey?" Sarah asked him concerned and helped him to sit down on a boulder.
"I'm fine. This was the weirdest thing. I can hear all of them now, and I remember that map inch by inch, every single pathway. I can see it in my head."
Jareth kept rattling on and he was still groggy.
"He's going to be fine", Paradox declared. "He has a strong mind and a good brain. He'll never forget that map. Now it's your turn."
She looked at Sarah and turned back towards the oak tree.
"Don't dawdle. We are wasting precious day light." Sarah followed behind like a scolded child who forgot to do its homework.
Two hours later, she too emerged slightly groggy, but with an eidetic memory of the map. Jareth had fully recuperated in the meantime and had helped himself to the rest of the berries.
"The map will now be destroyed", the leader of the Einhorn herd declared. "It is too dangerous to have a copy of it laying around. The only safe place is in our heads."
With this the entire herd faced the tree and when Paradox brought the scroll out they all started tearing it up and eating the pieces.
"That map just went to shits", Jareth mumbled to himself and Sarah couldn't help but to laugh out loud. She took Jareth face into her hands and gave him a passionate kiss.
"You always make me laugh. Don't ever change", she said and sat down as her head started to spin again from the procedure.
After another hour, both felt good again to continue their journey back to the castle. Paradox had told them it would take roughly an hour to make it through the pathway and to be careful before they emerged so no one would see them.
"The pathway comes out right below the private castle on the Westside where there stands a huge oak tree by itself."
Jareth knew exactly the spot she was talking about. It was where he used to take Sarah to practice their sword fighting. There were a few old ruins around it as well. Ruins from an old building that had stood there centuries ago.
"Thank you so much for all your help", Jareth told Paradox. "As soon as we get to the castle we try and send you a telepathic message if we can." He patted her on her neck and entered the tree.
Sarah kissed Paradox on her forehead.
"Thanks girl, we don't know how to ever repay you, but you probably have saved the entire Underground World."
"You brought me together with my family after centuries alone. My gratitude lies with you, your highness." Paradox replied and this time, she wasn't being condescending or sarcastic when she called Sarah her highness.
Sarah smiled and scratched her one more time between her eyes before she followed Jareth into the oak tree.
Jareth took Sarah's hand when she reached him, and they both descended a small pathway down into the earth. He had crafted a torch with pitch and tar from his fire starter kit and Paradox had assured him it would not go out before they would reach their destination, as it was pitch black in the tunnel.
Sarah had flashbacks to the oubliette and Labyrinth but was comforted by Jareth' grip of her hand. He looked back every so often with an encouraging smile as he led her down the path towards the castle. They did not come across any forks as each pathway was a one way tunnel. None of them intersected, they were all individual, which would make it very easy to control them once they got rid of the goblorks.
Less than an hour had passed when they saw a dim light ahead. Soon they had reached the exit. They stood quietly by the opening for several minutes and scanned the area. They could see and hear the battle, and Sarah winced every time a boulder smashed into a wall and debris was flying all around them.
Jareth extinguished his torch and turned to Sarah with a solemn and incredibly sad look on his face. He gently put her face into his hands and kissed her with a passionate long kiss before he embraced her.
"I'll have to join the battle, precious, but you will have to go to the bunker room." Sarah shook her head in protest with tears in her eyes.
"Sarah", Jareth looked deep into her eyes with a stern yet caring look in his eyes. "Do not defy me. Do as I say, I beg you." He kissed her again and Sarah nodded quietly with a sad look.
"I'll come back to you as soon as I can, I promise, but I do not know when that will be." He took a deep breath, drew his sword, and gave the signal to emerge.
Both exited the tunnel at the same time, gave each other one more look, and ran in opposite directions. As she ran towards the castle to find their sons, he ran into battle against the goblorks.
He didn't know it then, but it would be months before he would see his precious Sarah again.
